UC-NRLF 


AMERICAN  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY 


PLANTS  OF  WAX 


BY  LAURENCE  VAIL  COLEMAN,  M.A. 


GUIDE  LEAFLET  SERIES,  No.  54 


FEBRUARY,   1922 


UNIVERSITY  FARM 


8061  '12  'NVI  1VJ  • 
HB0  'ao:ppo; 

sisnvw. 
i  -soig  piotX 

japuig 


A  PORTION  OF  THE  BULLFROG  GROUP 
Showing  Pickerel  Weed 

Plants  of  Wax 

How  They  are  Made  in  The  American  Museum 

of  Natural  History 
BY  LAURENCE  VAIL  COLEMAN,  M.A. 

Plants  of  wax  have  become  familiar  to  museum  goers  chiefly  in 
connection  with  habitat  groups  of  mammals,  birds  and  reptiles.  In 
fact,  the  impressiveness  of  a  group  often  depends  as  much  upon  the 
accessories  which  enter  into  its  composition  as  upon  the  specimens  which 
it  features,  and  therefore  the  making  of  artificial  foliage  has  become  an 
important  branch  of  work  in  a  museum's  studios. 

The  following  account  explains  how  plants  are  made  in  the  American 
Museum.  The  method  employed  for  leaves  was  devised  and  patented 
by  Carl  E.  Akeley,  and  this  brief  exposition  is  published  with  his  con- 
sent. 


AMERICAN  MUSEUM  GUIDE  LEAFLETS 

The  principal  materials  required  are  bleached  beeswax,  cotton 
batting  of  good  quality,  annealed  and  stiff  iron  wire  of  various  sizes, 
and  a  few  tools,  such  as  are  shown  in  the  cut.  Fingers  must  do  the  rest; 
tools  will  not  give  mechanical  ability  any  more  than  brushes  and  colors 
will  make  an  artist.  For  delicate  leaves,  or  the  petals  of  flowers ,  mous- 
seline  de  soie,  the  mysterious  "fabric"  of  the  Mintorns,  is  needed.  This 
was  formerly  used  in  making  leaves,  but  has  given  way  to  the  more 
practical  and  economical  method  of  Akeley.  The  agate  burnisher,  a  tool 
used  by  gilders,  is  rather  a  luxury  and  a  home-made  tool  of  brass  or  iron 
will  serve  the  purpose.  The  use  of  this  is  to  smooth  down  rough  spots, 


TOOLS  USED  IN  MAKING  LEAVES  AND  FLOWERS  OF  WAX 


or  points,  and  to  weld  together  leaves  like  those  of  the  pitcher  plant  that 
are  made  in  two  or  more  parts. 

Do  not  be  discouraged  if  your  first  efforts  are  not  successful,  or  not 
as  successful  as  you  expected.  Printed  directions  can  give  you  only 
general  principles;  something  depends  on  natural  aptitude,  much  on 
care  and  patience.  Try  something  easy  first. 

WAX  LEAVES 

In  making  artificial  foliage  the  individual  leaf  is  the  preparator's 
first  concern.  A  fresh  leaf  makes  the  best  model,  though  one  preserved 


PLANTS  OF  WAX 

in  a  bath  of  formalin  and  glycerine1  may  be  used, 
let  us  follow  the  reproduction  of  a  leaf. 


By  word  and  picture 


MAKING  A  SQUEEZE  MOLD 

The  original  leaf  is  placed  upon  a  bed  of  clay  around  which  a 
clay  wall  is  set  up  and  the  enclosure  so  formed  is  poured  full  of  plaster 


.<  — 


THE  LEAF,  RESTING  ON  A  CLAY  BED 
Ready  for  Making  the  First  Half  of  the  Mold 


'A  mixture  of  formalin  15  parts,  water  35  parts  and  glycerine  50  parts  is  best  for 
prolonged  preservation  of  foliage.  Leaves  immersed  in  a  stronger  mixture  for  a  few 
days  and  then  removed  and  dried  will  usually  retain  their  form  and  if  so  treated  may 
be  recolored  and  used  for  exhibition,  but  the  result  is  seldom  satisfactory. 


AMERICAN  MUSEUM  GUIDE  LEAFLETS 

which  covers  one  side  of  the  leaf  and  soon  sets.  The  clay  is  then  removed, 
leaving  the  leaf  and  the  plaster  together.  Two  notches  or  keys  are  cut 
in  opposite  edges  of  the  plaster  to  receive  the  keys  of  the  second  part  of 
the  mold  and  "to  prevent  the  two  parts  slipping  on  one  another.  The 
margin  around  the  leaf  is  brushed  with  clay  water  or  soap  solution  to 


THE  LEAF,  RESTING  ON  THE  FIRST  HALF  OF  THE  MOLD 

Ready  for  Making  the  Second  Half 

prevent  the  next  layer  of  plaster  from  adhering  to  it,  and  for  best  results 
the  soap  is  then  swabbed  off  and  a  film  of  stearin  applied ;  another  wall 
is  set  up  around  the  leaf  and  its  plaster  bed  and  into  the  little  basin  thus 


Q 

- 
0 


a 
o 
i 

H 

W 

K 
P 


AMERICAN  MUSEUM  GUIDE  LEAFLETS 

formed  is  poured  plaster  which  covers  the  second  side  of  the  leaf.  When 
it  sets,  the  two  blocks  of  plaster  may  be  separated  and  the  leaf  between 
them  will  have  left  its  impression  on  the  inner  face  of  each.  It  will  be 
seen  that  each  key  on  the  first  block  has  now  its  mate  on  the  second,  for 
tongues  of  plaster  from  the  last-poured  mass  have  filled  the  notches  cut 
in  the  first  one.  Thus  the  two  parts  interlock  and  fit  together  in  one 
position  only. 


THE  WAX  LEAF  READY  FOR  TRIMMING 


The  mold  is  now  set  aside  to  dry  and  before  using  hardened  by 
boiling  in  a  strong  solution  of  borax  for  about  twenty  minutes  or  soaking 
in  melted  paraffin  for  about  the  same  time.  Molds  treated  with  paraffin 
give  the  best  impression  but  are  a  little  difficult  to  use  on  account  of  the 
tendency  of  the  wax  to  stick  to  them.  In  case  a  mold  is  going  to  be 
used  a  great  many  times,  it  is  best  to  soak  it  in  linseed  oil  for  five  minutes 
and  let  it  dry  for  a  week  or  two. 


PLANTS  OF  WAX 

CASTING  A  WAX  LEAF 

When  leaves  are  to  be  cast  from  a  squeeze  mold,  the  mold  must  be 
soaked  in  hot  water  and  used  while  warm  and  moist.  Heat  keeps  the 
wax  from  chilling  till  it  fills  the  mold  and  moisture  prevents  it  from  ad- 
hering to  the  plaster.  A  film  of  cotton  is  laid  upon  one  side  of  the  mold — 
better  the  concave  side  if  either  one  is  so.  A  piece  of  cotton-covered 
hard  iron  wire1  is  laid  along  the  line  of  the  midrib,  with  its  end  projecting 


THREE  STAGES  IN  TRIMMING  A  VERY  SIMPLE  LEAF 


to  form  a  stem,  and  if  the  leaf  be  a  thick  one  more  cotton  is  laid  on  top. 
Melted  wax,  tinted  green  with  oil  colors,  is  then  poured  upon  the  cotton 
and  the  upper  part  of  the  mold  squeezed  down  upon  it.  The  whole  is 
plunged  into  cold  water,  opened  and  the  cast  removed. 

The  wax  should  be  bleached  beeswax  to  which  should  be  added 
about  a  tablespoonful  of  Canada  balsam  to  each  quart  of  melted  wax, 
the  object  of  the  balsam  being  to  toughen.the  wax.  Wax  should  be 


1For  small  leaves  the  cotton  covered  millinery  wire  of  commerce  is  employed, 
but  for  larger  ones  it  is  desirable  to  use  iron  wire  of  a  larger  size.  The  wire  is  tapered 
with  a  file  or  on  an  emery  wheel  and  then  wrapped  with  cotton  by  twirling  it  through 
the  fingers. 

9 


AMERICAN  MUSEUM  GUIDE  LEAFLETS 

melted  in  a  double  boiler,  such  as  is  used  for  cooking  oatmeal  in  order  to 
avoid  burning  the  wax  and  to  lessen  the  danger  from  fire. 


A  HEAVY  COMPLEX  LEAF 

Showing  the  Wire  Supports  on  the  Under  Side 


The  oil  color  is  thinned  with  a  very  little  turpentine  and  thoroughly 
stirred  into  the  melted  wax;  this  gives  the  body  color  of  the  leaf  to  be 
imitated. 

It  will  be  found  that  pressure  aided  by  capillarity  has  forced  the 
wax  into  a  thin  sheet  which  has  engulfed  the  cotton  and  the  wire  so 

10 


PLANTS  OF  WAX 

that  neither  can  be  seen,  and  that  the  excess  of  wax  has  run  out  around 
the  leaf.  The  manipulations  of  casting  may  be  performed  in  a  few  seconds. 
Much  time  is  saved  by  using  three  molds  in  rotation  so  that  while 
one  is  in  use  a  second  may  be  warming  in  hot  water  and  a  third  with  its 
cast  may  be  cooling  in  the  cold  bath. 


A  COMPLETE  LEAF  OF  THE  PITCHER  PLANT 

And  the  Molds  Used  in  Making  One-Half  of  It 

A  Pair  of  Molds  is  Needed  for  Each  Half  of  the  Leaf,  the  Keel,  Shown  in  the  Picture 
Being  Made  on  One  of  the  Halves 

In  the  case  of  large,  heavy,  and,  especially,  deeply  scalloped  leaves 
such  as  occur  on  many  tropical  plants,  it  is  necessary  to  make  a  some- 
what elaborate  complicated  framework,  such  as  is  indicated  in  the  figure, 

11 


AMERICAN  MUSEUM  GUIDE  LEAFLETS 

by  twisting  together  a  number  of  wires  so  that  one  underlies  each  arm 
or  part  of  the  leaf.  These  wires  are  wound  with  cotton  batting  or  gauze, 
tapering  from  their  junction  with  the  midrib  to  the  tip. 

In  making  these  large  leaves,  it  is  often  advantageous  for  two  per- 
sons to  busy  themselves  with  a  single  mold,  one  person  pouring  the  wax 
and  the  other  manipulating  the  mold  and  removing  the  casts.  For  large 
parti-colored  leaves  two  colors  of  wax,  perhaps  green  and  red,  may  be 
poured  into  the  same  mold. 


METAL  SQUEEZE  MOLDS 

A  mold  is  sometimes  attached  to  a  large  hinge  or  frame  by  means  of 
which  it  may  be  opened  or  closed  after  the  fashion  of  a  lemon-squeezer. 
Metal  molds —  half  type  metal  and  half  bronze — may  be  employed  if  a 
large  number  of  leaves  is  required,  and  such  a  mold  must  always  be 
attached  to  a  hinged  frame. 

12 


PLANTS  OF  WAX 

FINISHING  A  WAX  LEAF 

The  cast  as  it  is  taken  from  the  mold  must  first  be  trimmed.  Scissors 
are  usually  employed  but  the  operation  is  not  a  simple  one  if  the  edge  of 
the  leaf  be  serrate.  In  this  event,  the  scissors,  which  have  been  warmed, 
are  jerked  along,  alternately  cutting  ahead  and  edging  to  the  side.  Then 
with  a  warm  tool  imperfections  are  removed,  and  finally  the  leaf  is  shaped 
between  the  fingers. 

The  wire  which  projects  from  the  base  of  the  leaf  is  wrapped  with  a 
strip  of  mousseline-de-soie  (a  gauze  of  the  utmost  delicacy)  dipped  in 
wax.  Once  more  the  tool  is  applied  to  the  stem  to  obliterate  all  traces  of 
successive  windings  and  the  leaf -is  finished  save  for  a  final  coloring. 

The  manner  of  assembling  leaves  upon  their  stems  is  determined  by 
the  habit  of  the  plant,  the  manner  in  which  the  leaves  are  arranged 
around  the  main  stem.  The  leaves  of  herbs  are  lashed  with  thread  to  a 
wire  of  proper  size  to  represent  the  main  shaft  of  the  plant,  and  the 
joints  are  wrapped  with  gauze,  the  windings  being  continued  along  the 
shaft.  Stiff  iron  wire  should  be  used  for  this  purpose,  and  to  insure  a 
neat  piece  of  work  the  end  filed  to  a  long  taper.  Leaves  of  trees  are 
usually  treated  in  the  same  way,  only  the  tender  twigs  being  reproduced, 
for  the  larger  woody  twigs  need  not  be  fabricated,  but  in  their  natural 
state  serve  as  a  base  to  which  the  wax  tips  are  attached. 

In  fastening  leaves  to  the  woody  twigs,  a  hole  is  bored  diagonally 
through  the  twig  with  a  fine  drill,  if  you  are  fortunate  enough  to 
have  one,  or  with  a  triangular  glover's  needle  held  in  a  pin  vise  or  set 
in  a  little  wooden  handle.  The  leaf  wire_is  passed  through  the  hole, 
bent  down  along  the  twig,  and  wrapped  with  gauze.  In  the  absence  of 
gauze,  thin,  tough  brown  paper,  cut  in  narrow  strips,  will  do  fairly  well. 

When  the  work  of  assembling  has  been  done,  the  final  touches  of 
color  are  applied.  A  large  air-brush  which  delivers  a  spray  of  oil  color 
thinned  in  turpentine  is  really  a  necessity  where  leaves  are  to  be  made  in 
considerable  numbers;  where  only  a  few  are  wanted  color  may  be 
stippled  on  with  a  brush- or  wad  of  cotton  batting  and  good  results  may 
often  be  obtained  by  rubbing  in  dry  color. 

Frequently  ten  thousand  leaves  are  needed  for  a  single  group,  but 
it  is  rarely  necessaryto  make  more  than  half  a  dozen  sizes  of  one  kind,  so 
hundreds  of  leaves  may  be  cast  from  a  single  mold. 

Blades  of  grass  are  cut  from  heavily  waxed  gauze  and  are  modeled 
by  folding  them  lengthwise  over  the  edge  of  a  knifelike  strip  of  tin  fixed 
in  a  wooden  base.  Very  little  manipulation  is  required.  No  rib  is  used, 

13 


AMERICAN  MUSEUM  GUIDE  LEAFLETS 

but  each  blade  from  a  short  distance  above  the  base  is  rolled  about  a  wire 
and  several  blades  are  then  attached  to  a  heavier  wire  stem. 
[^J  In  making  cactus,  the  spines  are  removed  and  a  piece  mold  made  of 
the  plant  or  of  the  various  branches.  In  the  case  of  such  a  form  as  the 
barrel  cactus,  the  body  is  often  made  hollow  to  save  wax  and  while  still 
in  the  mold,  backed  with  a  lining  of  plaster  and  burlap. 

WAX  FLOWERS 
Success  in  making  artificial  flowers  depends  largely  upon  ingenuity 


A  SPRAY  OF  DOGWOOD 
A  Very  Simple  Flower 

in  the  application  of  a  few  general  principles,  though  to  make  small 
flowers  on  an  extensive  scale  necessitates  the  use  of  dies,  such  as  are 
shown  in  the  cut  and  unfortunately,  the  making  of  dies  calls  for  the 
services  of  an  expert  machinist.  Large  or  medium-sized  flowers,  poppies, 
for  example,  can  be  made  without  any  special  appliances. 

The  first  step  is  always  to  dismember  the  natural  flower  in  order  to 
determine  its  construction,  and  ordinarily  it  will  be  found  to  consist  of  a 
central  bulb-like  pistil  surrounded  by  slender  stamens,  a  set  of  petals 

14 


O 
z 

p— i 

a 


Q 

g 

QQ 


r 


colle 

the  i 


RETURN  TO  the  circulation  desk  of  any 

University  of  California  Library 

or  to  the 

NORTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 
Bldg.  400,  Richmond  Field  Station 


ering 


upoi 

Richmond,  CA  94804-4698 

i  cast 
D  the 
aring 
faxed 
mens 
ly  or 
limp 
ding. 
;roup 
1  the 
•ated 
axed 
)iece, 
they 
then 
lone 
nilar 
cone 

y  be 
but 
iiade 

they 
air- 

size 
a  no 
thre; 
whic 
lacei 
com 

of  se 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 
2-month  loans  may  be  renewed  by  calling 
(510)  642-6753 
1-year  loans  may  be  recharged  by  bringing  books 
to  NRLF 
Renewals    and    recharges    may    be    made    4   days 
prior  to  due  date 

morj 
peta 
gauz 

DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 

joim 
were 

APR  0  8  1996 

weld 
side 

piece 
and  ' 

punc 

some 
sepa 

are  i 

brusl 

20,000  (4/94) 


16 


LIBRARY,  BRANCH  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 


